Reduction-gearing for engine-starters.



T. J. GRAY.

REDUCTION GEARING FOR ENGINE STARTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MY 2, 1913.

1,125,091. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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l T. J. GRAY.

REDUCTION GEARING FOR ENGINE STARTERS.

APPL IOATION FILED my 2. 1913.

1,125,091. Patented Jan.19,1915.

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REDUCTION GEARING FOR ENGINE STARTERS.

APPLIUATION FILED HAY 2,1913.

1,125,091. Patented Jan.19, 1915.

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UNITED srrnrrnsrn'rnnr OFFICE.

THOMAS J. GRAY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GRAY ENGINE STARTER COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS,

INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

REDUCTION-GEARING FOR ENGINE-STARTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed Kay 2, 1913. Serial No. 765,004.

the speed of the motor to such a lower-one as is applicable to rdtate the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine to start the latter, and the object is to improve the mechanism for "that purpose which is shown and described in my Patent No. 1,053,909, issued February 18, 1913, whereby, with this my improved mechanism I. am able to'increase the wearing surface of the eccentric and its hearings, to dispense with the loose oscillating plate which is required in said patented structure, to provide a gear system with fewer loose parts, to provide a mechanism which is more compact, and to provide a device which will insure greater durability and general efficiency.

I accomplish the above objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a section longitudinal of the driving and driven shafts of my improved.

starter, and this view shows the starting device in operative connection "with the engine, which latter is shown in a fragment thereof. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stationary portion of the trundle ear. Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation o the floatin member of the trundle gear, and Fig. 5 1s a front view of the floating member of the trundle gear.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

6 is the armature of an electric motor and 7 the motor housing. 8 is the armature shaft which will hereafter be referred to as the driving shaft. 9 is a shaft which is to be driven from the shaft 8 but at a different rate of travel or speed which is determined by the reduction gearing which forms the ent, filed March 25, 1913,

subject-matter of this invention and which will hereinafter be fully described. 10 is a gear wheel mounted on the driven shaft 9, and here shown as having an automatic clutch connection with the shaft 9 of a form shown in my previous application for pat- Serial No. 756,752, but which may be of any suitable type. 11 is the crank shaft of the internal combustion engine to be started, and which has the usual pitman connections 12. The crank shaft 11 is connected with the gear wheel 10 by means of the gear wheel 13. These parts are onlyshown by way of illustration and more -'or less conventionally and will be varied to suit the particular conditions of use.

Mounted on the end of the driven shaft 9 nearestto the electric motor is a flange plate 14:, which is recessed at its centerrto receive race rings for the ball bearings 15, and to rece ve the end of the driving shaft 8 which has its outer bearing in said recess. Secured by rivets 16 to the flange plate 14 is an internal gear 17.

Mounted upon the driving shaft 8 is an eccentric 18 which is here shown as secured to the shaft by means of a key or feather 19 which insures that the eccentric and shaft rotate together. Mounted upon the eccentric 18 1s a spur gear wheel 20, having peripheral teeth which mesh with those of the internal gear 17 at certain varying portions of each wheel during each revolution of the eccentrlc.

21 is the floating portion of a trundle gear which is assembled against the inner side of the spur gear 20, and which is rigidly at tached to the latter by means of the rivets 22. A series'of'roller bearings 23 will preferably be interposed between the eccentric 18 and the gears 20 and 21.

Bolted to the housing 7 of the motor is a stationary plate 23 which forms the seat for a series of annularly arranged pins 24, and with the latter forms the stationary portion of a trundle gear, the mating or floating portion being the part 21 hereinabove mentioned. Both the male and female parts of l the trundle gear have an equal number of teeth which are so shaped as to permit of a floating movement of the member 21 but at the same time prevent this floating member from revolving on its own axis.

An additional series of ball bearings 15 are provided in a recess in the plate 23 for the mounting of the driving shaft 8.

In the operation of my device the parts 21, 22 and .23 comprising the trundle gears allow the spur gear wheel to adjust itself in keeping with the changes in position of the eccentric 1b on which the spur gear wheel is mounted. without permitting of the rotation of said spur gear wheel, and the difierence between the number of teeth in the spur gear wheel and those of the annular gear determines the' reduction in the rate of travel imparted to the annular gear 17, and thereby determines the difference in the rate of travel between the driving shaft 8 and the driving haft 9.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. A driving shaft, a crank shaft, and transmission connecting means comprising an eccentric rotating with the driving shaft, a driven shaft, an annular internal gear secured to and rotating with the driven shaft, a spur gear wheel mounted on the cocentric and having its teeth engaging with those of the internal gear, and means comprising a trundle gear to secure a floating adjustment of said spur gear wheel Without rotation.

2. A driving shaft, a crank-shaft, and transmission connecting means comprising an eccentric rotating with the driving shaft, a driven shaft, an annular internal gear secured to and rotating with the driven shaft, a spur-gear wheel mounted on the eccentric with its teeth meshing with those of the internal gear, and means comprising a trundle gear to secure a floating adjustment of said spur-gear wheel without rotation.

3. A driving shaft, a crank shaft, and transmission connecting means comprising an eccentric rotating with the driving shaft, a driven shaft having an annular flange, an annular internal gear secured to said flange, a spur gear wheel mounted on the eccentric and having teeth engaging the teeth of the internal gear, a fixed plate having an annular series of projecting pins, said series being concentric withirthedriving shaft and forming one member of a trundle gear, and a toothed wheel member of said trundle gear mounted on the eccentric and fastened to the said first spurgear wheel.

4. The combination of an electric motor having an armature shaft, a driven shaft, an internal combustion engine, means for starting the movement of said engine by connection with said driven shaft, an eccentric on said armature shaft, an annular internal gear secured to and rotating with said drive-11 shaft, a spur gear wheel mounted on the eccentric and having its teeth engaging with those of the internal gear, and means comprising a trundle gear having a fixed pin member to impart a floating ad-' justment without rotation to said spur gear Wheel.

5. The combination of an electric motor having an armature shaft and an internal combustion engine having a shaft, of a reduction gear connecting the armature shaft with the crank shaft comprising an eccentric rotating with the armature shaft, a driven shaft, an annular internal gear secured to and rotating with the driven shaft, a spur gear Wheel. mounted on the eccentric and having its teeth engaging with those of the internal gear, a fixed plate having an annular series of pins concentric with the armature shaft and forming the pin member of atrundle gear, a toothed member of said trundle gear secured to said spur gear wheel, and means for connecting the driven shaft with the crank shaft of the internal combustion engine.

In witness whereof, I have'hereunto setmy hand and seal at Boston, Mass, this 15th day of April, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and thirteen.

THOMAS J. GRAY.

Witnesses:

HARRY F. SEARLES, JOSEPH EMANUELs. 

